A Face to Call Home
by runningfromtuesday
Summary: Younger, older, here, there, Rocky, CeCe, and their holidays over the years. - rocky/cece
1. Mistletoe

_**AN:**_ Hello loves, it's been a while since I've posted anything on here, in part because I've been hit by a slight writer's block. Thankfully, I think I might be worming out of that now, which is how I present to you my attempt at drabbling! I'm not the most reliable, so for the next month I can't promise a post every single day, though I will try to keep it as consistent as possible. Basically, this story is a set of completely unrelated fluff pieces (for the most part) revolving around a different subject for the holiday season each day. If I manage to do each prompt, there will be a total of twenty five chapters of this story. I hope you'll stick with me for that period of time!

By the way, if you're curious, 'A Face to Call Home' is a John Mayer song. Not Christmas-y at all, but you know, I'm a cheater.

* * *

_**Mistletoe**_

.

CeCe tapped her phone incessantly on the table, lower lip caught between her teeth, a gesture that suggested she was in deep thought or worry. At the current moment it was a mixture of both, making her a bundle of emotions that she didn't know how to express - thus, the tapping of the phone.

If Rocky had her way, CeCe would be reprimanded for the nervous habit ("It's dangerous! Your phone could break!", "The furniture can hardly handle regular use, you're going to wear out everything we own"). But as it so happened, Rocky was currently away, and had been for the past three hours.

The tapping stopped for a moment. CeCe opened up another new message, the fifth that day, and sent Rocky a distressed text.

It wouldn't be so worrisome if Rocky had left with a single mention of where she was headed, how long she would be out, etc. Instead, she had simply walked out the front door and into the cold, leaving CeCe alone with her thoughts and pessimistic scenarios (they varied from Rocky breaking up with her suddenly to an emergency class ending in a car accident, or something equally as terrifying).

CeCe stood from the desk and paced, a habit not of her own but Rocky's, one that she had picked up on over the years. If not for the enclosed dorm space CeCe would surely be going faster, faster, and over a wider area too. Unfortunately, ninety square ft. did not suffice for such movement.

Suddenly, a _click!_ came to CeCe's ears. She turned to the door, eyes already wider than before. There was a pause before the door was pushed wide and open with a squeal of hinges to reveal a freezing Rocky, hands behind her back, cheeks puffed full.

CeCe took no time to hesitate, throwing her arms around Rocky and squeezing her closer, the strength used improbable to what most would believe possible of the red head. Rocky squeaked in surprise, shifted, and then hugged her in return, arms sliding to her back. They remained like that until Rocky pulled away, her breathing rapid. CeCe slid her arms to Rocky's sides, keeping one touch between them at all times. She pouted.

"Where were you?" She demanded, pressing on before Rocky could answer. "Didn't you get one of my like, one hundred texts? I was just about to call the school board and get them to start looking for you! I was _so_ worried! You can't just leave like that, Rocks. I've been tapping."

Rocky bit her lip, though her eyes remained on CeCe's. "I'm sorry," she replied quietly, and CeCe fell apart in her arms.

"I'm just…I'm so happy you're here." CeCe pulled her into another hug, eyes squeezing shut, head resting on Rocky's shoulder. She was the one to pull back this time. "You're really cold."

"Yeah, I've been out." The words reminded CeCe of her hours of worry and wonder, and her eyebrows furrowed down once more.

"Where did you go?"

"Out."

"That's not an answer!"

"Please…CeCe. I was just out, okay?"

"Look, I know it's the holidays and all, and we're supposed to be secretive, but if you were out getting me a present, just tell me." CeCe took Rocky's hand in hers. "It would make me feel a lot better. It's either that or you're cheating on me, so I'd, um, really like it to be the first one. Rocky."

Rocky sighed, eyes trailing down the ground now. "CeCe…"

Her eyes widened. CeCe let Rocky's hand drop, taking a shaky step back. "Oh God, you're not actually. You weren't…with…someone else? I wasn't…thinking that…"

CeCe had looked away, nearly turning her back to Rocky, who quickly grabbed for her hand again. "No, no no no no _no_, one million times no." The proclamation did indeed get CeCe's attention, who turned to Rocky and sucked in a breath, eyes already watering.

"So where were you?"

Something changed in Rocky's eyes, a certain feel of resignation now there. She unzipped her front coat pocket and slowly pulled out a leafy mistletoe, extending her hand to CeCe to let her examine it. CeCe's eyebrows furrowed. "A…plant?"

Rocky held back a laugh, although a smile did escape as she shook her head. "Um, no, CeCe. I mean, yes, a plant, but not just _a_ plant. _The_ plant. It's a mistletoe." CeCe looked quickly back up at Rocky, blinking momentarily as the situation dawned on her. "I wanted it to be a surprise, and it's really hard to do that when you live with someone in a shoe box little dorm room. I thought about it for a while and decided I would just leave, which, thinking back, was stupid of me. Do you know how hard it is to find mistletoe in Chicago?" Rocky paused here, a hollow chuckle escaping, echoing the efforts of her evening. "Silly, right? It's _Chicago_. Third largest city in the United States. But everywhere I went it was all fake, which was scratchy and just, it wouldn't work. So I had to search all around before I found the perfect little one, which, looking at it now, is a little bit…misfit toys-esque. But I thought it was perfect. And I wasn't going to tell you because I wanted it to be the icing on the cake for our Christmas together, a little surprise for someone who doesn't get to be surprised all that often. I wanted it to be special for you. Silly, right?"

For all of Rocky's speech, CeCe's eyes remained on the mistletoe. As the question was addressed to her, she looked up and into Rocky's eyes, eyes watering again. Rocky recognized the look and opened her mouth to comfort her. CeCe brought a finger quickly to her lips, gently, pulling it away after a moment.

"It's…_so_ not silly. It's so perfect, and romantic, and I love it, Rocky, I love you, so much." She wiped at her eyes, taking a pause, which Rocky filled.

"I love you too." CeCe smiled, and continued.

"And I think it's cool like this. I didn't see this coming, so it was a surprise, even for me. And today I love you more than I can ever even imagine, which won't change in twenty four - or five, I never know if you're supposed to count the day you're on - days. I love you today, I'll love you on Christmas and every day in between."

Rocky's gaze remained on CeCe, her head beginning to shake slowly. "_You're _romantic."

"I wasn't the one who sneaked out to buy a mistletoe for her girlfriend. Speaking of which…" CeCe unfolded Rocky's fingers around the plant, reaching higher to place it in the air above them with a grin.

Rocky mirrored the grin for a moment before leaning in and pressing her lips to CeCe's, eyes fluttering closed. CeCe's hands went to Rocky's shoulders, standing on the pads of her toes to make herself almost taller than Rocky. They remained there for a few seconds before CeCe broke away, head rolling to rest on Rocky's shoulder. She swayed slightly there, arms now completely around her neck.

"Twenty four," Rocky said quietly, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"There's twenty four days between now and Christmas. You don't count the day you're on."

Instead of responding, CeCe brought Rocky down for another kiss.


	2. Hot Chocolate

_**AN:**_ Lucky you, (or unlucky, however you view it) since I've started the prompts a day late, I'm uploading two chapters today. Thank you for the reviews so far!

* * *

**_Hot Chocolate_**

.

The chiming bells over the door had the opposite of desired affect on Rocky. Instead of the calming, relaxed atmosphere it was meant to create, it drove her mad. Bells meant another customer, another wild card. Reasonable person? Unreasonable person? She never knew until she spoke to them. The bell meant options, options that she wasn't particularly aware of, and yes, that did drive her a little insane. Rocky Blue was a girl who liked to know what she was facing, when she was facing it, and if it was going to be a problem. Bells didn't give that to her.

For most of the year, she was able to deal with the incessant chiming, but that level of tolerance faded around the holidays. She had begun working at Starbucks around Christmas time of the previous year, and had quickly learned that all of the employees there hated the season with a passion. Christmas meant new flavors on the menu, more advertisements, more business. Yes, it was good for the company, but the effect was similar to that of a month-round, never ending rush hour for her.

"I'll have a peppermint hot chocolate." Rocky vaguely registered the words in the back of her mind, but didn't bother to even turn to the source. Today she was one of the workers in charge of making the orders instead of manning the register, which meant her concentration was focused on moving and doing at a constant speed. There was a tap on her shoulder and she turned, raising an eyebrow. Dina gave her a small, supportive smile.

"Peppermint hot chocolate. Try not to steam it so much this time, Blue." Rocky nodded to acknowledge Dina's words. She had a small history with burning the mouths of those that drunk what she created whenever stressed.

Her attention turned back to the machine that pumped out steaming water, turning the handle to fill a cup she had grabbed. Once full, she followed the line of her duties, ensuring that nothing too much or too little was put into the beverage. Dina kept a watchful eye on her which, for Rocky, did not go unnoticed. Though she was thankful that her friend had the job alongside her, she was a controlling individual, not a good mix whenever Rocky could be considered the same many times. She took her job at Starbucks just about as seriously as someone working part time could, and yet Dina didn't seem to appreciate her effort at all.

Once finished, Rocky put a lid on the hot chocolate, turning to John at the register. "Name?" She asked, uncapping a sharpie and positioning it to write on the side.

"LR," John read off a card, before tossing it into the trash. Rocky inked what she assumed to be initials into the cup, slipping a protective strip of cardboard around it and sliding it to the corner of the counter.

"Peppermint hot chocolate," she called into the shop, hands not yet leaving the drink.

"Did you put a protector on it?"

Rocky turned to Dina, indicating to the cardboard. "Yes, Dina. I'm not completely incapable." Dina quirked an eyebrow, smirking at Rocky, who in turn rolled her eyes and moved to face back front ways. Before she could begin to adjust again, however, her hand knocked into the cup and tipped it over on the counter, the hot liquid immediately running from the top of its lid. "Oh, _crap_," Rocky stressed, fixing the cup as soon as she could, before all of the contents had spilled. She looked up to see a slightly confused and just as damp CeCe.

"Ohmygondola, CeCewhatareyoudoinghereohI'msosorry -" the words came out into one rushed string, Rocky's head shaking with more force the faster the words poured from her mouth. CeCe stopped the flow by reaching for the cup and pulling it towards herself, eyes fixed on Rocky's hand.

"You kinda spilled it on yourself," she pointed out, head nodding towards her hand. Rocky turned down to see that her hand was covered in hot chocolate, which was, yes, now that she realized, _hot_.

"Oh, wow."

"Sorry," CeCe chuckled, reaching for a few napkins that were placed out to the side. She reached for Rocky's hand first, patting delicately at the skin there before rubbing to make sure all of the liquid was gone. "I guess I made more a mess than I meant." Her attention moved to the counter, which she scrubbed much harder than she had Rocky's hand.

At a loss for words, Rocky stammered, "you came here meaning to make a mess?"

CeCe smirked. "Always do."

Rocky realized how against protocol it was to let a customer clean up a mess that you've made, and took the napkins from CeCe's hand abruptly, dropping them in the trash next to her. She reached for a few fresh ones, getting back to work on the counter herself. "Thanks, but my boss'll kill me if anyone but me cleans this up." Rocky paused, looking up and studying CeCe. "No, really, what are you doing here?"

CeCe shrugged, fingers ghosting over the sides of the tabletop. "I missed you."

"Don't you have class?"

"Mmm," CeCe hummed, eyes closing as she swayed. "Don't ruin the moment. Class…school…shhh." Rocky rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to scold CeCe on the importance of school and yada yada, only to be interrupted by her own thoughts.

"Wait, LR. What's that mean?" She asked, causing CeCe's eyes to blink open in surprise.

"What? Oh, yeah. _You_ were the one who came up with it." CeCe raised both eyebrows, as though that would clue Rocky in. "Little Red."

"Oh!" Rocky instantly smiled. "You remember that?"

"_I_ obviously do, I dunno about you…"

"I remember," Rocky stated firmly, crossing her arms. "I could never forget it, my little red." Slowly, she moved her hand to cover CeCe's, tilting her head to the side as she did so. She pulled it back only to begin tracing circles in the skin there, an amused smile playing on her lips. CeCe licked her lips, eyes flashing to Rocky's, mouth opening to speak. Dina's voice startled them both out of the small reverie.

"Okay, gross, you two, I'm going to be sick." Both of their heads turned to her. Rocky's smile faded while CeCe's remained bright as ever. "Your shift is over in an hour, can't you wait to do this then?" Rocky mouthed a silent no, and CeCe squeezed her hand once more before pulling back.

"Dina's right, you've got work, I've got class to not be at." She slid what was left of her hot chocolate across the surface of the counter before raising it to her lips and taking a small drink. "But," she sang, "I'll be back in an hour. And then…" CeCe left the sentence open ended, turning to Rocky with a quickly returned grin. Her gaze lingered even as she began to walk, until she finally turned to face the door and walked out of the coffee shop, hand pushing against the door lightly, a touch strong enough only to open it.

Rocky thought that maybe, sometimes, bells were okay.


End file.
